334
FXUS63 KGRR 200858
AFDGRR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
358 AM EST SAT DEC 20 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- WINTRY MIX WITH SNOW IN THE NORTH TODAY
- COLD WEATHER RETURNS TO BEGIN THE WEEK
- WARM UP THROUGH CHRISTMAS
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 356 AM EST SAT DEC 20 2025
- WINTRY MIX WITH SNOW IN THE NORTH TODAY
WARM AIR ADVECTION THIS MORNING AND INTO EARLY AFTERNOON WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT SWINGING THROUGH THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BANDS OF RAIN/SNOW MIX WITH SLEET THROUGH
THE NORTHWEST WILL TRAVERSE THE REGION EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON.
THIS FRONTAL SYSTEM HAS MUCH LESS MOISTURE THAN YESTERDAY'S AND
THE MID LEVEL AIR IS MUCH WARMER. SO ANY SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL
BE ALONG THE US 10 CORRIDOR WITH UP TO AN INCH POSSIBLE.
- COLD WEATHER RETURNS TO BEGIN THE WEEK
COLD AIR RETURNS AGAIN WITH A STRONG TEMPERATURES GRADIENT DROPS
OVER THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. ANY SNOWFALL WILL BE
THROUGH NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN SO SOUTHERN MICHIGAN SHOULD REMAIN
DRY. LOWS SUNDAY AND MONDAY MORNINGS WILL BE IN THE TEENS WITH
HIGHS ON SUNDAY IN THE MID 20S.
A WARM FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL LIFT INTO THE REGION MONDAY. WHILE
SNOW IS STILL EXPECTED BUT IT WILL MAINLY BE ALONG AND NORTHWARD
OF THE I 96 CORRIDOR WITH AROUND A HALF AN INCH OF ACCUMULATIONS.
- WARM UP THROUGH CHRISTMAS
THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED WARM FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BEGIN THE WARM
UP TREND THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH CHRISTMAS AND INTO NEXT
WEEKEND. THE MAX TEMPS ON MONDAY WILL BEGIN THE WEEK AROUND 3
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND BY CHRISTMAS HIGH TEMPS WILL BE AROUND
20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE FORECASTED HIGH FOR GRAND RAPIDS AREA
FOR CHRISTMAS CURRENTLY IS 53F. THAT WOULD PLACE IT IN THE TOP 5
WARMEST CHRISTMAS'S ON RECORD. THE WARMEST CHRISTMAS ON RECORD
FOR GRAND RAPIDS IS 65 IN 1982. THERE REMAINS SOME QUESTION ON
TIMING BUT THE ZONAL FLOW THIS WEEK SHOULD BRING SOME RAIN SHOWERS
MIDWEEK WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS INTO NEXT WEEKEND. HOWEVER
THOSE MAX TEMPS WILL REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/
ISSUED AT 1145 PM EST FRI DEC 19 2025
VFR CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IN FROM THE SOUTH WITH WINDS
BUILDING OVERNIGHT GUSTING AROUND 25 KNOTS. LLWS DEVELOPS AFTER
9Z TONIGHT WITH A 50 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET MOVING OVER THE REGION.
THESE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA AROUND 18Z.
A FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALONG THE FRONT A
WINTRY MIX OF RAIN, SNOW, AND POSSIBLY ICE PELLETS IS POSSIBLE
WITH CEILINGS AROUND 4000 FEET. CHANCES ARE HIGHEST TOWARD MKG
(40-50 PERCENT) AND AROUND 30 PERCENT FOR GRR WITH LOWERING
CHANCES AS THE FRONT SHIFTS EAST. PEAK GUSTS AROUND 30 TO 35
KNOTS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WINDS BECOME WEST TO
NORTHWESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT WITH GUSTS 20 TO 30 KNOTS.
MARINE
ISSUED AT 356 AM EST SAT DEC 20 2025
WIND CONTINUE TO RAMP UP AS THE GALE GOES INTO EFFECT. BASED ON
LATEST GUIDANCE HAVE EXTENDED THE GALE INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. WHILE
THERE WILL BE A LULL, WINDS WILL REMAIN TRANSITORY WITH GALES
POSSIBLE. WAVES WILL REMAIN AROUND 10 FEET THROUGH THIS TIMEFRAME.
NORTHWEST FLOW THIS EVENING WILL ONCE AGAIN INCREASE WINDS AND
WAVES INTO SATURDAY NIGHT.
GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MI...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
LMZ844>849.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY FOR LMZ844>849.
DISCUSSION...CERU
AVIATION...RAH
MARINE...CERU
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